Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. Announces Pricing of

SAN DIEGO, July 25, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: CNAT ), a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel medicines to treat liver disease, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 6,000,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $11.00 per share, before underwriting discounts. The shares are scheduled to begin trading on the NASDAQ Global Market under the ticker symbol "CNAT" on July 25, 2013. In addition, Conatus has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 shares of common stock at the same price to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is expected to close on July 30, 2013, subject to customary closing conditions.

Stifel and Piper Jaffray & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. JMP Securities LLC is acting as co-lead manager and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. is acting as co-manager for the offering.

A registration statement relating to these securities was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 24, 2013. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus, copies of which may be obtained from Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Attention: Syndicate, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, California 94104, by calling (415) 364-2720 or by emailing SyndicateOps@stifel.com , and from Piper Jaffray & Co., Attention: Prospectus Department, 800 Nicollet Mall, J12S03, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, by calling (800) 747-3924 or by emailing prospectus@pjc.com .

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Conatus is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel medicines to treat liver disease. Conatus is developing its lead compound, emricasan, for the treatment of patients in orphan populations with chronic liver disease and acute exacerbations of chronic liver disease. Emricasan is a first-in-class, orally active caspase protease inhibitor designed to reduce the activity of enzymes that mediate inflammation and cell death, or apoptosis. Conatus believes that by reducing the activity of these enzymes, emricasan has the potential to interrupt the progression of liver disease. Conatus was founded by the executive management team of Idun Pharmaceuticals in July 2005 following the sale of Idun to Pfizer. Conatus acquired the global rights to emricasan from Pfizer in 2010. For additional information, please visit www.conatuspharma.com .

Charles J. Cashion Senior Vice President and CFO Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. 858-457-7221